Author: SKYNEWS

The Arctic is warming 3.5 times faster than the global average, scientists have warned, raising new security threats for the UK.Melting Arctic ice is opening up more routes for shipping and military vessels, and the potential to drill for new reserves of gas, oil and natural minerals in an otherwise virtually unspoilt ecosystem. The continent has long been warming faster than the rest of the world.As the sea ice disappears, its white surface that reflects sunlight gives way to darker ocean underneath that absorbs the heat instead. Today the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned the Arctic is on…

Gary Lineker bid a tearful farewell to Match Of The Day as he presented the show for the final time.The ex-England striker, 64, announced his departure earlier this month after sharing a social media post from the Palestine Lobby group titled: “Zionism explained in two minutes.” The Instagram post was illustrated with a rat, which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda – including Nazi Germany.Lineker “apologised unreservedly” for sharing it, saying he was unaware of the reference and it was a mistake. He maintained the importance of “speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding…

Abandoning her career to look after their two daughters was what Isobel’s* ex-husband wanted.Six years after their divorce, she earns a quarter of his salary while caring for the children six out of seven days. Despite having two university degrees, she is “trapped” on universal credit and frustrated with a “ludicrous” divorce system that didn’t account for years of unpaid work to support her ex and raise their family.”I feel hugely let down and I feel cheated by a system that feels so orchestrated towards women being on the back foot,” said Isobel, 44, from Berkshire.Data suggests she is not…

The mother of a 14-year-old boy who claims he took his own life after becoming obsessed with artificial intelligence chatbots can continue her legal case against the company behind the technology, a judge has ruled.”This decision is truly historic,” said Meetali Jain, director of the Tech Justice Law Project, which is supporting the family’s case.”It sends a clear signal to [AI] companies […] that they cannot evade legal consequences for the real-world harm their products cause,” she said in a statement.Warning: This article contains some details which readers may find distressing or triggering Image: Sewell Setzer III. Pic: Tech Justice…

Thousands of people are expected to attend Port Talbot this weekend as the town gears up to welcome an annual Welsh festival.The Urdd Eisteddfod is a celebration of Welsh culture when children and young people up to the age of 25 take part in a variety of competitions. There are 400 of them in total, including singing, reciting poetry and dancing.The Urdd organisation itself was established more than a century ago in 1922, with the aim of giving children and young people in Wales the opportunity to learn and socialise in the Welsh language.Its six-day Eisteddfod is held during May…

Donald Trump says he will delay the imposition of 50% tariffs on goods entering the US from the EU until July, as the two sides attempt to negotiate a trade deal.It comes after the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a post on social media site X that she had spoken to Mr Trump and expressed that they needed until 9 July to “reach a good deal”. The US president had last Friday threatened to bring in the 50% tariffs from 1 June, as European leaders said they were ready to respond with their own…

A piece of classical music is to be played into space to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of its composer and the 50th year of the European Space Agency (ESA).The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss, will be beamed into the cosmos as it’s performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra on 31 May, and livestreamed with free public screenings in Vienna, Madrid, and New York. To avoid any technical issues, a pre-recorded version from the orchestra’s rehearsal on the day before will be played out, while a live performance provides the accompaniment.The music, which famously featured in Stanley Kubrick’s…

A weapons supervisor who was jailed for involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Alec Baldwin movie, Rust, has been freed.Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was released on parole from the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants on Friday, after serving her 18-month sentence, NBC News, Sky’s US partner said, quoting New Mexico Corrections Department spokesperson, Brittany Roembach. Gutierrez-Reed was released to return home to Bullhead City, Arizona, where she will be on parole for a year for the manslaughter case. Image: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in court as she was jailed for 18 months for involuntary…

A backer of Gail’s bakeries is in advanced talks to acquire Flat Iron, one of Britain’s fastest-growing steak restaurant chains.Sky News has learnt that McWin Capital Partners, which specialises in investments across the “food ecosystem”, has teamed up with TriSpan, another private equity investor, to buy a large stake in Flat Iron. Restaurant industry sources said McWin would probably take the largest economic interest in Flat Iron if the deal completes.They added that the two buyers were in exclusive discussions, with a deal possible in approximately a month’s time.The valuation attached to Flat Iron was unclear on Sunday. Flat Iron…

Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on the EU, starting from next month, after saying that trade talks with Brussels were “going nowhere”.Mr Trump made the comments on his Truth Social platform. It marks a fresh escalation in his trade row with the European Union, which he has previously accused of being created to rip off the US.While the US has done deals with the UK and China to reduce their peak exposure to his trade war, the president’s EU threat, which would cover all EU imports to the US, would risk retaliatory measures from Brussels if…